Joey Logano making inaugural visit to TMS

FORT WORTH — NASCAR teen sensation Joey Logano is making quite a buzz in the pits with the fans and media this weekend.

Logano is the new kid on the block in the NASCAR racing world. Today he will be making his debut at Texas Motor Speedway in the O’Reilly Challenge Nationwide Series races.

(Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Joey Logano, driver of the #20 GameStop Toyota, drives during practice for the NASCAR Nationwide Series O’Reilly Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway on October 31, 2008 in Fort Worth, Texas.

The 18-year old Logano will compete in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing GameStop Toyota. He will start eighth on the grid.

“I’m learning as much as I can about the cars to help me out as a driver,” Logano said. “But it’s really a great team with well-prepared race cars and fast race cars that help you be successful.”

Should Logano win today’s Nationwide race at TMS, it will mark the first time a rookie has ever won a Nationwide race at Texas.

Logano will start eighth on the grid later today.

Nationwide Notebook:

 In 15 Nationwide Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, no driver has won from the pole. Carl Edwards is on the pole for today’s race. If that trend continues, he probably won’t be in Victory Lane later this afternoon.

 The closest anyone won from the front was when Mark Martin won in 1999 and 2000 after starting second. Kevin Harvick is starting second today and has won the Nationwide race here the past three years. Look for Harvick to be in Victory Lane later today.

 Clint Bowyer is about to close in on his first NASCAR Nationwide Series championship. He holds a 116-point lead over Carl Edwards. Bowyer starts 21st today.

 Kenny Wallace, driver of the No. 28 U.S. Border Patrol Chevrolet will have a pit crew unlike any of the others in the 43-car starting field. His crew will be comprised and will look like U.S. Border Patrol agents. Wallace is starting 16th on the grid today.

 Juan Pablo Montoya will compete in today’s O’Reilly Challenge. He will drive the No. 40 Fastenal Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Montoya has made two previous Nationwide starts at TMS, with his most recent coming in the 2007 O’Reilly 300 where he finished 30th. Later today he will start 18th on the grid.

 Kyle Busch could give everyone a history lesson this weekend. If he wins today’s O’Reilly Challenge Nationwide race, he would become the first driver to sweep both Nationwide Series events and would tie the series record for the most wins in a season. Busch, who won the O’Reilly 300 here in April, currently has nine victories and a 10th win would equal the Nationwide Series record which was established by two-time series champion Sam Ard in 1983.

Busch starts fourth on the grid today.

 Carley Patterson is here today and will sing the national anthem prior to the start of the O’Reilly Challenge. Patterson was the 2004 Athens Olympics women’s all-around gold medalists. Recently the Allen, Texas native released her first single, “Temporary Life.”